A charter school that Republican Ryan Frazier co-founded and helps oversee received more than $100,000 from what he calls the "failed" stimulus program.

Democrat Ed Perlmutter dropped that bombshell Saturday during a 9News debate between the two major-party candidates in the 7th Congressional District, who traded jabs and talked over each other as they disagreed on a variety of topics.

Perlmutter said Frazier needs to stop referring to the program as failed, as the money is being used throughout the district, including the Interstate 225-Colfax Avenue interchange project.

"You know that in Aurora, the recovery act is helping to pay for police and firefighters, and teachers at your own charter school," Perlmutter said.

Frazier has repeatedly blistered the two-term congressman for supporting the stimulus. Frazier said it has added to the massive deficit and hasn't created the jobs that were promised.

Frazier is vice president of the board of High Point Academy, the charter school his three young children attend.

"This is the first I've heard of it," he said, when asked after the debate about the stimulus money. "I don't know that to be the case. I'm going to go back and find out right now if this is the case."

Asked if the school planned to return the money if the funds are from the stimulus bill, Frazier said that would be a board decision.

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The Perlmutter campaign provided budget documents from High Point Academy showing $107,168 in federal stimulus funds were used last year and this year to pay for teachers, aides, full-day kindergarten tuition and other expenses.

The candidates also tangled over whether Frazier has the worst attendance record on the Aurora City Council, and whether Perlmutter votes with Speaker Nancy Pelosi more than 98 percent of the time.

"You can misrepresent my record all you want to, but it doesn't create a single job in the 7th Congressional District," Frazier said.

At one point during their heated debate, Perlmutter even swatted or tapped Frazier's hand, but apologized after Frazier said, "Don't hit me, man. Come on, Ed."

What they said

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Democrat from Golden, is being challenged by Republican Ryan Frazier of Aurora in the 7th Congressional District. Here's some excerpts from their debate on 9News on Saturday.

JOB CREATION

Frazier: "Let me explain to you how you actually create a job because I know you have no real experience in creating a job yourself."

Perlmutter: "My law firm, when I started we had nine attorneys and about 12 staff. When I left 25 years later, we had 50 attorneys and about 100 staff. So, yes, I do know how to create jobs and build a business."

HEALTH CARE REFORM

Frazier: "I think it's very telling that Congressman Perlmutter now admits there needs to be some changes to this health care bill. One has to ask if you actually took the time to read the bill. . . . We need to make sure tort and malpractice reform is part of the equation."

Perlmutter: "I have read the bill. If you had read the bill, you would know there is tort reform in the bill."

ENERGY/GREEN BANKS

Frazier: "You snuck a piece of legislation into the cap-and-trade bill that would have directly benefited a 'green bank' in which you own stock. Maybe in your book that's ethical, but in my book that seems like a conflict of interest. . . . If everyday Americans did that they'd be in jail."

Perlmutter: "The section of the bill . . . is something that another congressman put in and it applies to all banks across the country. It really is asking them to take on the responsibility of having a library, in effect, as to what kinds of incentives, what kinds of loans are available to homeowners to go and make their homes more energy efficient or more efficient."

ATTENDANCE/PELOSI

Perlmutter: "(Frazier's) a city councilman. It's his one job. He missed 30 percent of his votes on the City Council."

Frazier: "Let's be clear. Despite the fact that my record has been misrepresented by you and your campaign, I made over 90 percent of my votes over the past two years, a far cry different than the 30 percent you claim in your commercials."

Perlmutter: "The ads that Mr. Frazier's been running . . . compare me to Nancy Pelosi. Just so you know, I voted 3,308 times. Nancy Pelosi has voted only 265 times in the last four years. In fact, her voting record is much closer to Ryan's voting record, because neither of them vote that much."

Frazier: "You do vote with Nancy Pelosi, 98.3 percent of the time. That's more than Barney Frank."

EXTENDING TAX CUTS

Frazier: "(Perlmutter) believes that somehow if you extend tax relief, we're going to extend the debt. We're letting people keep their money. We have to control spending."

Perlmutter: "You also have to have revenue. George Bush cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires. . . . When you prosecute wars without paying for them and then you allow Wall Street to run amok through deregulation and Ponzi schemes — all that stuff happening under the Bush administration — that is what created this giant debt that we're facing right now."

Frazier: "You've been there since 2007, so take ownership for that debt. You should be proud of it. You voted for it."

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